How to Use Social Media Better: A Guide for Your Small Business
- Lisa Welch
- Nov 7
- 5 min read
Social media can feel like a full-time job. You know you should be using it to find new customers, but it's hard to know where to start. What should you post? When should you post it? And how do you know if any of it is actually working? It’s easy to feel like you’re shouting into a void.
But what if you had a simple plan? A clear guide to help you get seen online, connect with the right people, and turn followers into loyal customers, without spending all day on your phone.
This guide is for you. We'll break down how to use social media better in simple, practical steps. From finding great post ideas to understanding what your followers want to see, you'll learn quick tips to make a real difference to your business.
Why Bother with Social Media? The Quick Wins
Before we get into the 'how', let's talk about the 'why'. When done right, social media isn't just about getting more likes; it's about real business growth.
Key Benefits for Your Business:
Reach More People: It puts your business in front of potential customers where they already spend their time.
Build a Community: You can connect with your audience, answer their questions, and build trust in your brand.
Showcase Your Products & Services: It’s a visual, engaging way to show people what you do and why you’re great at it.
Drive Website Visits & Sales: A great post can lead people directly to your website to make a purchase or enquiry.
Step 1: Pick Your Playground (You Don't Need to Be Everywhere)
One of the biggest mistakes small businesses make is trying to be on every single platform. It's exhausting and ineffective. The secret is to choose one or two platforms where your ideal customers hang out.
Facebook: Still a giant. Great for building a community, running local groups, and reaching a broad age range. Perfect for businesses that rely on local customers, like cafes, garages, and high-street shops.
Instagram: Highly visual. Ideal if your product or service looks good on camera. Think florists, artists, restaurants, fashion brands, and personal trainers.
LinkedIn: The professional network. This is the place for B2B (business-to-business) companies. If your customers are other businesses, you need to be here. Think accountants, consultants, and web designers.
TikTok: Short, fun, and fast-paced video. Excellent for reaching a younger audience (under 35) and showing the personality behind your brand. Great for product demos, behind-the-scenes clips, and trend-based content.
Action Tip: Start with just one platform. Get comfortable with it and build a small following before you even think about adding another.
Step 2: Find Your Voice and Create Posts People Love
"What on earth do I post?" It's the number one question for a reason. The key is to stop selling all the time and start helping, entertaining, or inspiring your audience.
Easy Content Ideas That Work
Aim for a mix of different post types to keep your feed interesting.
Behind the Scenes: People love seeing the 'real' you. Show your workspace, introduce your team, or share how a product is made. A baker could show a time-lapse of croissants being prepared.
Answer Common Questions: What do customers always ask you? Turn each question into a post. An electrician could make a quick video on "Why does my fuse box keep tripping?"
Share Customer Wins: Post a photo of a happy customer (with their permission!) or share a positive review. This is powerful social proof.
Quick Tips and How-Tos: Share your expertise. A gardener could create a post on "3 easy-to-grow herbs for your kitchen window."
Use AI for Endless Post Ideas
Staring at a blank screen? Artificial intelligence (AI) can be your creative partner.
Ask for Post Ideas: Use an AI tool and ask it: "Give me 10 Instagram post ideas for a dog grooming business in Sheffield." You'll get a list of topics in seconds.
Write Your Captions: Struggling to find the right words? Give AI your basic idea (e.g., "a post about our new coffee blend") and ask it to write three friendly caption options.
Generate Hashtag Lists: Hashtags help new people find you. Ask an AI tool for "a list of 15 popular hashtags for a handmade jewellery shop on Instagram."
Step 3: Create a Simple Posting Schedule
Consistency is more important than frequency. Posting once a day is great, but if you can only manage three times a week, that's fine—as long as you stick to it. This builds momentum and tells the social media algorithms that you're an active account.
When Are the Best Times to Post?
This depends on your specific audience, but here are some general guidelines:
Facebook: Mid-mornings and early afternoons during the week.
Instagram: Lunchtimes (11 am - 1 pm) and evenings (7 pm - 9 pm).
LinkedIn: Before work, at lunchtime, and after work on weekdays (8-10 am, 12-1 pm, 5-6 pm).
Pro Tip: Most platforms have built-in analytics (or 'Insights') that show you exactly when your followers are most active. Check this once a week and adjust your posting times.
Make Design Easy with Simple Tools
You don't need to be a graphic designer to create beautiful posts. Tools like Canva offer thousands of free, easy-to-edit templates for social media posts, stories, and videos. You can add your own logo and colours to keep everything looking professional.
Step 4: Engage with Your Community (It's a Two-Way Street)
Social media is meant to be social. It’s not just a billboard for your business. Engaging with your followers is one of the most important things you can do.
Reply to Comments and Messages: Make it a priority to respond to every comment and direct message (DM). It shows you're listening and you care. A quick "Thanks so much!" can make someone's day.
Ask Questions in Your Posts: Encourage replies by ending your captions with a question, like "Which is your favourite?" or "What are you up to this weekend?"
Engage with Other Accounts: Spend 10 minutes a day leaving thoughtful comments on posts from other local businesses or potential customers. This is a great way to get noticed.
Step 5: Check What's Working (Simple Analytics)
Don't guess—look at the data. It's simpler than it sounds. Once a month, check your social media 'Insights' or 'Analytics' tab.
Look for These Three Things:
Which post got the most likes or comments? This tells you what content your audience loves. Make more of this!
Which post reached the most people? This shows what type of content is getting shared and seen by new audiences.
How many new followers did you get? Steady growth is a sign that you're on the right track.
AI tools can also help with basic performance checks. You can ask an AI to analyse your top-performing posts and identify common themes, helping you understand what to create next.
Your Quick-Start on How to Use Social Media Checklist
Ready to get started? Follow this simple checklist.
Platform:
Choose ONE social media platform to focus on.
Fully update your profile with a clear description, website link, and good profile picture.
Content:
Brainstorm 5 post ideas based on the tips above.
Use an AI tool to get 3 more ideas and write a sample caption.
Create your first post using a simple design tool.
Engagement:
Schedule your posts for the next week.
Set aside 10 minutes each day to reply to comments and DMs.
Follow and comment on 5 other relevant accounts.
Bring Your Social Media Strategy Together
Managing your social media effectively is about creating a simple, repeatable system. From planning your posts to checking your results and replying to customer messages, having everything organised is key to success. This stops it from feeling overwhelming and helps you see real results.
If you're ready to turn these tips into a streamlined plan, our Marketing Hub is a free-to-use platform designed to help. It gives you the tools to organise your post ideas, schedule content, and manage your marketing in one place, freeing you up to focus on running your business. Create your free account and start making your social media work harder for you. Find out more about the Marketing Hub here.
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